Drive or Fly: Upper Nyack, NY to Buffalo, NY?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for HPN–BUF. At 357 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 34m

Distance

357.9 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

145 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 3m

34m in the air

Air Distance

283 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

72 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Nyack, NY → HPN 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Upper Nyack, NY HPN — Westchester County Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HPN and BUF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 31m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 18m

7h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

21 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Nyack, NY → Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station (CRT) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 458m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BFX) → Buffalo, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From CRT — Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BFX — Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	7h 34m	3h 3m	9h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$186	$56
Carbon footprint	145 kg CO₂	72 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

357.9 mi 7h 34m

via US 6, I 86; NY 17, NY 17

Alternative (+39 min)

399.1 mi 8h 13m

via I 80, US 15, US 20A

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Upper Nyack, NY to Buffalo, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.